


A Tour of the TARDIS

by kcanwrite



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Post Episode: s07e10 Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS, TARDIS rooms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-04-28
Packaged: 2018-02-28 18:24:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2742494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcanwrite/pseuds/kcanwrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Picking up roundabouts where Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS leaves off, the Doctor takes Clara on a tour of the TARDIS.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Tour of the TARDIS

Clara entered the console room, towel drying her hair after a relaxing shower. “I feel exhausted. I feel—”

"We’ve had two days crammed into the space of one," the Doctor exclaimed.

"What?"

"Ignore me! Come on, it’s time I gave you a proper tour!"

He raced past her down the steps, grabbing her hand along the way. Clara let out a yelp, but laughed excitedly, slinging her towel over a railing. The Doctor took them through a number of twists and turns, rattling off fun facts about his TARDIS all the way. “And here is where the observatory used to be. Great view, spectacular scope. Don’t worry, we’ll find it again.” Clara just grinned and let him lead the way, though she had a million questions. Finally, they found something new. 

"Ah, yes, the swimming pool." The Doctor stopped in the doorway with his hands clasped together, admiring the vastness of it.

"Whoa," Clara raised an eyebrow. "Is the size of this thing really necessary?"

He felt his mouth fall open, closed, then open again. “Wha- Of course- Why would- Yes!” His hands were on his hips, but his lips were fighting a pout.

She raised her eyebrow further.

"For fun!" he retorted, spinning on his heel. "Come on, to the observatory."

Clara took another glance at the pool, then winked up at the TARDIS, as if they shared an inside joke.

The Doctor was grumbling to himself, “What do I bring you along for anyway?”

"Because you’d have no fun without me," Clara teased from over his shoulder.

He gave a short laugh. “Right you are!” Linking their arms together, he quickened the pace.

Four left turns later, they arrived at… “The observatory!”

"I don’t think so, Doctor."

His face fell completely. “I thought for sure this would be it.”

This time, she took his hand and led him forward. Her curiosity had taken over. “I want to see every room. Show me this one.”

Inside were shelves upon shelves of books as far as the eye could see. The Doctor didn’t say anything, just studied her face for approval. 

Clara looked at him with a smirk, “Now you’re just showin’ off.”

A grin lit up his face. He laced their fingers together and nearly skipped to a section of bottles. Inside was…nothing…something?

"I don’t understand," Clara said, furrowing her brows.

"Thoughts," he explained. "The Encyclopedia of Gallifrey is catalogued in thoughts rather than written language."

She pondered that for a moment. “That’s brilliant,” she murmured, peering into a bottle.

And they were off. One section of the library after another, one brilliant way of cataloging history and fiction after another. It was all rather impressive, but the day had been a long one.

Eventually, Clara brought him to a pause with a hand against his chest. “Do you have any films?”

"Films?" he asked in disgust. "I’m taking you through the literary history of the entire universe, and you’re interested in a rom-com?"

"Uh, actually I’m just a bit knackered and would like to relax for a while. If it’s with a ‘rom-com,’ fine. Join me?"

The Doctor thought for a moment, then swung his head back and forth in defeat. “Oh, alright. They’re this way. _I think_!”

Some time later they found themselves on the floor in the TARDIS cinema. The movie had been a compromise, a comedy involving a scientist of some sort. The Doctor was laid back with his arms folded behind his head, taking advantage of the room’s all-encompassing features. Clara was sipping a mug of tea, watching the film on the wall in front of her. The main character made some otherworldly science joke, and the Doctor let out a hearty laugh. 

"This film isn’t making any sense to me, you know that right?"

He glanced up at her in confusion. “But it’s from Earth!”

She raised an eyebrow.

The Doctor sighed and took her mug, setting it out of reach. “Come here.” He tugged on her arm, pulling her to lay on the cushioned floor with him. “Just enjoy the experience.”

The TARDIS altered what she saw, and put her into the scene, made it happen around her. All the jokes went right over her head, clearly intended for an Earth audience of her future. The Doctor slipped his hand into hers. At this point, the action felt so natural she almost didn’t notice it. Clara stifled a yawn, and tilted her head to his shoulder. He didn’t seem to mind. Within minutes, she was asleep.

"Clara! Clara, wake up! I found the observatory!"

"What?" She rubbed her eyes and sat up on an elbow. "Where?"

"Get up, I’ll show you." With that, he ran off.

Clara sighed and decided she had no choice but to follow him. He didn’t go far. The observatory had planted itself just a little ways down from the cinema, apparently. No twists or turns this time. When Clara arrived, the Doctor was standing proudly in front of the largest telescope she’d ever seen. His grin lit up his face, but that was nothing compared to the millions of stars that lit up the room.

"Whose stars are these?"

"Ah, always asking the good questions, Clara." He jumped off the telescope’s platform and led her by the hand to the smaller end of the massive instrument. "The answer is, of course, anyone’s and everyone’s. Just point and think. Any sky you want to see. Any star you can imagine. Where would you like to start?" He guided her up the step, then released her hand, opening his arms up to the sky.

Clara wasn’t sure how to respond. She only knew one sky. “You choose, Doctor. What do you want to see?”

He turned to face her again, scratching his head. “What do I want to see?”

"Yeah. Just point and think. Show me what stars are beautiful to a man who’s seen them all."

The Doctor turned back to the telescope, and thought. He winked into the glass, and the sky flew. It zoomed after one star then the next, racing after whatever galaxy he’d conjured. Clara watched intently. Finally, the movement slowed on a array of stars in a beautifully complex pattern against an orange sky.

"So, where are we?"

The Doctor was quiet for a long moment. When he finally answered, his voice had traded its playful tone for a somber one, “Oh, a long lost place. This sky doesn’t even exist. Not anymore. It was wonderful once.” He paused again. “Once.”

Clara sensed he was keeping something to himself, but she knew not to push him. Instead, she crossed the space between them and hugged his arm, looking up at the vast beauty. “It’s gorgeous.”

He glanced down at her and smiled knowingly. “Yeah, it is.”


End file.
